Page 86 of Finders Keepers

Before we go inside, Gavin catches my hand, bringing me to a stop. I turn to face him, and he steps closer, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.

“Hey,” he says softly, his eyes searching mine. “I meant what I said. I’m in this with you. Whatever happens, whatever you need, I’m here.” His voice is firm, his gaze intense. It’s as if he’s promising to shield me from any storm, and in this moment, I believe he could.

“You’re not alone anymore,” he adds, and something inside me melts. I squeeze his hand, grateful for his unwavering support.

“Thank you,” I murmur, feeling stronger and more grounded with him by my side. “That means everything.”

We walk inside and find Sophie sitting at the dining room table with all her party guests and her face lights up when she sees us.

“You’re back!” she exclaims, sliding off her chair and running to Gavin with her arms outstretched.

He scoops her up effortlessly, settling her on his hip. Her birthday crown tilts precariously, and he reaches up to straighten it with his free hand.

“Yup! I wouldn’t miss your birthday, Soph.”

She smiles wide as she wraps her small arms around his neck in a hug. He pauses for a moment, clearly touched by her unrestrained affection, then places his hand on her back and hugs her in return, holding her close.

Ms. Lucy catches my attention from across the room, and I see the approval in her smile. She knows that I’ve made things right.

“Mommy!” Sophie calls out looking over Gavins’s shoulder. “Can we have cake now?”

I smile, feeling more relaxed being surrounded by my friends and family. “You bet we can, sweetie.” Taking her from Gavin’s arms, we make our way back to her chair where her chocolate cake sits waiting, decorated with a sparkly ‘5’ in the center and ‘Happy Birthday Sophie’ written in delicate pink frosting and every color of sprinkles you can imagine are placed all around the round cake.

As I light the candle, Jake dims the lights, leaving us in shadow except for the soft flicker of the flame. I begin the birthday song, with all our guests joining in harmony. She beams with delight as everyone focuses on her, then blows her candle out with one breath, momentarily cloaking us in darkness. The room erupts in applause and celebration as Jake turns the lights back on.

I slice and distribute the first piece of the rich chocolate cake to her and then to the others, I’m filled with certainty that this is exactly the life I want for my daughter and myself.

I watch Sophie devour her cake, purple frosting smearing across her cheeks as she giggles with Tommy. The party continues around me, but I feel myself fading, the emotional whiplash of the day catching up with me. My body feels heavy, like I’m moving through water.

Ms. Lucy slides into the chair next to me, pushing a glass of lemonade my way. “You okay, sweetie?”

“Just tired,” I admit, offering her a small smile. “Today’s been… a lot.”

She squeezes my hand. “I can see that. But you’re doing great.”

Across the room, Gavin chats with Jake, occasionally glancing my way. When our eyes meet, he gives me a subtle nod that manages to soothe me. I take a deep breath, feeling the tightness in my chest loosen slightly.

Mary Beth bustles over with a plate of cake, setting it firmly in front of me. “Try a piece Bailey, it’s delicious.”

I laugh despite myself. “Yes ma’am.”

As I take a bite, the sweetness floods my mouth, and I realize I’m actually hungry. The simple pleasure of chocolate cake feels like a small miracle after everything.

Sophie darts over, her face a mess. “Mommy! Tommy says he has a treehouse! Can we have a treehouse?”

“Maybe someday, sweetie,” I say, wiping her face with a napkin.

She climbs into my lap. I rest my chin on her head, breathing her in.

I’m exhausted, wrung out from crying and confessions and fear. But looking around at these people I feel something unfamiliar settling in my soul.

It’s belonging.

For the first time in years, we’re surrounded by people who genuinely care about us. The realization is both overwhelming and healing.

Islump in Ms. Lucy’s floral armchair, my body heavy with exhaustion. The morning was spent at the police station replays in my mind, every detail I had to recount, every bruise I had to remember, every incident I had to document. My hands still shake from gripping the pen too tight while signing the statement.

Sophie sprawls on the carpet nearby, lost in her coloring book, humming a tune. The scratch of her crayons against paper provides a strange comfort.

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